Southland Credit Union names Deena Otto as incoming President/Chief Executive Officer
Los Alamitos, California
(October 30, 2025) – Southland Credit Union’s Board of Directors
is pleased to announce the appointment of Deena Otto as the credit union’s next
President/Chief Executive Officer effective December 8, 2025. Otto succeeds Tom
Lent, who will serve as CEO Emeritus until his official retirement on January
2, 2026.
Otto previously served as
Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Stanford Federal Credit
Union, a $4.3 billion institution headquartered in Palo Alto, California. In this
role, she oversaw retail banking, contact center operations, marketing and
business development, driving both Member growth and operational
transformation.
“Deena brings a proven track
record of strategic leadership, innovation and deep commitment to Member
experience,” said Thomas Willingham, Board Chair, Southland Credit Union. “Her
energy, vision and operational expertise make her uniquely suited to guide
Southland into its next chapter of growth. The Board is confident she will
build upon Southland’s strong foundation while advancing our mission to serve
our Members with innovative financial solutions and exceptional service.”
Otto’s career spans more
than two decades in brand development, marketing and financial services
leadership. She began her career at Nike, where she developed a passion for
brand storytelling and innovation before transitioning to credit unions. At
Credit Union of Southern California, she led SEG-based growth strategies and
community outreach as Assistant Vice President of Marketing and Business
Development.
Otto later joined Wescom
Credit Union, where she spent 15 years in senior leadership roles, including
Senior Vice President of Administration and Senior Vice President of Payments
and Digital Channels. During her tenure, Wescom grew from $3 billion to $5
billion in assets, expanded to 220,000 Members and launched significant digital
initiatives. Otto’s leadership was integral to the credit union’s partnership
with UCLA, which evolved into a flagship on-campus branch and brand
collaboration.
Since joining Stanford
Federal Credit Union in 2021, Otto has led multiple strategic initiatives that
have enhanced Member experience and operational performance. Her
accomplishments include launching Member-initiated services in digital banking,
implementing AI-driven self-service platforms and redesigning community
outreach programs and corporate partnerships. Her leadership has driven
membership growth and strengthened the organization’s Member experience
initiatives.